Ex Libris: The New York Public Library

The Detroit Institute of Arts presents Ex Libris, a remarkable new documentary film about an extraordinary public institution, the New York Public Library. Ex Libris screens Friday through Sunday, Oct. 6-8, in the DIA’s Detroit Film Theatre.

Legendary documentarian Frederick Wiseman, recipient of an Honorary Lifetime Achievement Oscar® in 2016, now brings his unparalleled powers of observation behind the scenes of one of the world’s great institutions of learning, capturing the vast programmatic scope of New York City’s library system. The NYPL is blessed with a uniquely passionate staff and devoted, appreciative bibliophiles and beneficiaries across its 92 branches. Wiseman’s 42nd film reveals a venerable place of welcome, cultural exchange, and intellectual creativity that is in no way displaced or diminished by the wonders of the modern digital era.